Fingernail manicure file device

ABSTRACT

A nail file having an elongated cylindrical body having a tapered end and an abrasive cylindrical distal end including a wedge having a cylindrical upper portion comprising an abrasive surface designed to fit underneath a nail or an acrylic nail and reach and file the area of the nail or acrylic nail adjacent to the free end of the natural fingernail and the nail bed as well as well as the top and side edges of the nail. The tapered end is wedge shaped forming a point on the distal end for reaching under the nail and/or treating the cuticle of the finger.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a manicure file for fingernails.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional flat files are very useful for trimming and filing the ends of the nails and for smoothing the outer surface of the nail. A typical file consists of a flat longitudinal member having an abrasive surface and rounded ends; however, the flat shape or nearly flat shape of the abrasive surface and rounded ends prevents these devices from being used to smooth and hone the inner surface of the nail.

The traditional way of creating long, manicured fingernails is to allow them to grow, and to carefully care for them by filing to keep them in proper shape and by periodic painting with fingernail polish. Alternatives to the natural, long fingernail, including the acrylic or artificial fingernail formed either with the aid of an artificial fingernail tip which is attached to the natural fingernail, or simply by molding or sculpting an acrylic fingernail which itself is directly attached to the tip.

In either case, the natural fingernail is first prepared by filing it and etching it with an acid, and then washing it with alcohol to prepare a clean surface to which an adhesive and/or the acrylic material will adhere. Typically, this is done with a traditional flat nail file followed by a wash in alcohol, and the application of a priming chemical, typically acid based, such as methacrylic acid in solution with iso butyl methacrylate.

After preparing the fingernail, a liquid acrylic solution is prepared by the mixture of an acrylic polymer with an acrylic monomer, such as acrylic ester polymer and benzoyl peroxide silica with acrylic ester monomer with NN4 diamethyle P and toludine 0 hydroxy benzophenone. The combination forms a plastic acrylic which can be applied using a small brush to the natural fingernail and sculpted with a brush and will harden and eventually form the final acrylic fingernail This type of acrylic will harden generally within a few minutes, and repeated applications of additional acrylic material can eventually be formed into a natural looking, but long and sculpted, acrylic fingernail.

The acrylic material can be applied either atop a plastic fingernail tip, which has been glued using various adhesives to the natural fingernail, or simply attached directly to the primed natural fingernail and sculpted to form a long, acrylic fingernail.

Once the acrylic fingernail has been formed using the brush, it is filed using traditional flat fingernail files of varying grits, starting with a coarse grit and ending with the finest of grits to form the finished fingernail. The finished acrylic fingernail is then painted an appropriate color and the formation of the acrylic fingernail is completed.

The use of acrylic material can often result in the sealing off of the area between the cutis or nail bed and the free end of the natural fingernail. This is both unsightly, and also presents hygienic problems due to difficulty cleaning the area between the natural nail and the nail bed. Therefore, it is advisable that once the acrylic fingernail has been formed, to file out the area between the acrylic fingernail and the natural nail bed to open it up to the same degree that it naturally would be with a short, manicured, natural fingernail. It is difficult to reach this area on the underside of the fingernail, since it is a concave surface and not easily filed or cleaned using a traditional flat fingernail file.

Conventional fingernail files use a metal or wooden pick, and even a conventional power routing tool with a fine router bit; however, likelihood of injury to the end of the finger and/or the nail bed is possible.

Accordingly, what is needed is a fingernail file specifically designed to reach into and file the concave underside surface of the natural nail of acrylic fingernail adjacent to the free end of the natural fingernail and nail bed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The improved manicure file device includes a conical nail file intended for use to file the concave underside surface of a natural fingernail or a sculpted acrylic fingernail and a tapered distal end for cleaning under the nail or pushing back the cuticle of the nail. The fingernail file is formed having an elongated handle which tapers to form a first distal end with a tapered angled wedge and a generally cylindrical opposing second distal end or head having a wedge formed on one side both of which are formed having an abrasive surface.

The nail file has an elongated cylindrical body has a tapered end and an abrasive cylindrical distal end including a wedge having a cylindrical upper portion comprising an abrasive surface designed to fit underneath a nail or an acrylic nail and reach and file the area of the nail or acrylic nail adjacent to the free end of the natural fingernail and the nail bed as well as well as the top and side edges of the nail. The tapered end is wedge shaped forming a point on the distal end for reaching under the nail and/or treating the cuticle of the finger.

More particularly, the distal end of the cylindrical portion is sliced diagonally forming a parabolic or front edge and an elliptical flat surface extending from the front edge a selected distance toward the main body defining a parabolic wedge. The cylindrical portion comprises an abrasive compound so that the elliptical flat surface provides an abrasive flat surface having abrasive elliptical side edges and front end edge. Moreover, the outer surface of the cylindrical body is also formed of the abrasive material providing a curved convex surface for contacting the outer edges of a curved fingernail. The elliptical shape of the wedge enables the user to find a portion of an edge having an angle suited to cooperatively engage the curvature of the underside of the nail which varies from the edges of the finger to the center of the nail. It is contemplated that the head may be a tapered cylindrical head as well as cylindrical.

The distal ends are designed to interfit underneath the natural nail or an acrylic nail and reach and follow the area of the acrylic nail adjacent to the free end of the natural fingernail and nail bed. The cylindrical head comprises an abrasive material of predetermined grit, which is bonded to it or the head can be integrally formed of an abrasive material. The head may be removably attached or permanently affixed to a elongated handle. The abrasive material is formed of a sufficient hardness to adequately remove natural nail or acrylic material from the area adjacent to the free end of the natural nail and nail bed. The rounded cylindrical surface is sized to conform to the concave under surface of the natural or acrylic fingernail. The rounded cylindrical surface and wedge formed from a section of the head are configured for use in sculpting and filing the upper surface of the natural fingernail and/or acrylic fingernail. The angled wedge portion of the second distal end is configured to reach the area adjacent to the free end of the natural fingernail and nail bed.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent with the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the manicure file device;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the manicure file device shown in FIG. 1 showing the flat elliptical abrasive surface formed from the wedge shaped section formed from a diagonal slice through the end of the cylindrical head portion;

FIG. 3 is rear view of the manicure file device shown in FIG. 2 showing the abrasive surface of the head portion;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the manicure file device shown in FIG. 1 showing the flat abrasive surface of the cylindrical head portion and the wedge shaped section forming the distal end; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the manicure file device in use wherein the cylindrical head portion is contacting the underside of a user's fingernail and the wedge shaped portion enables the user to follow the curvature of the finger tip beneath the nail with the edge of the wedge to maximize the surface area of the underside of the nail exposed and contacting the abrasive surface of the cylindrical head portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a manicure nail file for use under the nail as well as the side edges and upper surface of the nail.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.

When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.

Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

As used herein, the term “about” can be reasonably appreciated by a person skilled in the art to denote somewhat above or somewhat below the stated numerical value, to within a range of ±10%.

The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to described the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5, the improved manicure device 10 includes a longitudinal tapered handle 12 having a cylindrical distal end 14 sliced at an angle from a front end edge to a selected position along the body 30 forming a parabolic shaped front end edge 16 and side edges 15, 17, and forming an abrasive elliptical plane surface 19 to provide a filing end formed of abrasive material. The tapered longitudinal handle 12 includes a distal end 21 having opposing tapered edges 22, 24 forming a diagonal wedge 25 including an end point 26 for manicuring the cuticles and portions of the fingers around and under the finger nails with an abrasive cylindrical end portion 27 opposing the elliptical plane surface 19 both formed having an abrasive surface. The abrasive end is for use to file the concave underside surface of a natural fingernail or a sculpted acrylic fingernail and a tapered distal end for cleaning under the nail or pushing back the cuticle of the nail. The abrasive surface of the manicure device can also be used for filing the top surface of the nail bed utilizing the flat surface of the wedge portion of the cylindrical head 14 to file the top surface of the nail adjacent to the cuticle edge to shape the inside edge to a correct acrylic build-up, or to reduce excessive amounts of nail polish.

As shown in the figures, the cylindrical head 14 is attached to the tapered handle shown by intersection 29 by an adhesive, molding, a fitted socket, cooperatively threaded ends, or welded to form an integral handle. It is contemplated that different type abrasive materials could be attached to the cylindrical head and abrasive surface portions by an adhesive or that sleeves or tips having an abrasive material could be fitted over the main body to have the same conforming configurations and shape.

The handle/body and tapered angled distal end may be constructed of any rigid material such as wood or plastic. The tapered handle can be molded of plastic or carved from wood, bone, metal, graphite material, paper, or fiber glass.

The fingernail file is formed having an elongated handle body which tapers to form a first distal end with a tapered angled wedge and a generally cylindrical opposing second distal end or head having a wedge formed on one side both of which are formed having an abrasive surface. The wedge portion of the cylindrical head is formed having a cross-sectional shape, such as an ellipse, that allows for the abrasive outer surface to be used to hone the inner surface of a user's nail.

Each end of the device is designed to interfit underneath a natural of an acrylic nail and reach and follow the area of the natural or acrylic nail adjacent to the free end of the natural finger nail and nail bed. Both conical nail files are provided with an abrasive material of predetermined grit, which is bonded to them, and of sufficient hardness to adequately remove acrylic material from the area adjacent to the free end of the natural nail and nail bed. The rounded cylindrical surface is sized to conform also to the concave area under surface of the natural nail or sculpted acrylic finger nail.

More particularly, the distal end of the cylindrical portion is sliced diagonally forming a parabolic or front edge and an elliptical flat surface extending from the front edge a selected distance toward the main body defining a parabolic wedge. The cylindrical portion comprises an abrasive compound so that the elliptical flat surface provides an abrasive flat surface having abrasive elliptical side edges and front end edge. Moreover, the outer surface of the cylindrical body is also formed of the abrasive material providing a curved convex surface for contacting the outer edges of a curved fingernail. The elliptical shape of the wedge enables the user to find a portion of an edge having an angle suited to cooperatively engage the curvature of the underside of the nail which varies from the edges of the finger to the center of the nail.

The distal end of the cylindrical head is designed to interfit underneath the natural nail or an acrylic nail and reach and follow the area of the acrylic nail adjacent to the free end of the natural fingernail and nail bed. The cylindrical head comprises an abrasive material of predetermined grit, which is bonded to it using an adhesive such as glue or the head can be integrally formed of an abrasive material. The head may be removably attached or permanently affixed to a elongated handle. The abrasive material is formed of a sufficient hardness to adequately remove natural nail or acrylic material from the area adjacent to the free end of the natural nail and nail bed. The rounded conical surfaces are each sized to conform to the concave under surface of the natural or acrylic fingernail. The rounded cylindrical surface and wedge formed from a section of the head are configured for use in sculpting and filing the upper surface of the natural fingernail and/or acrylic fingernail. The angled wedge portion of the second distal end is configured to reach the area adjacent to the free end of the natural fingernail and nail bed.

The abrasive surface may comprise a grit of predetermined size adhered thereto. The abrasive material may comprise fine, medium or coarse emery granules such as sand or other abrasive compounds which may be fixed to the outer surface of body either directly or by fixing them to a plastic or paper sheath and then fixing the sheath to body or affixing a cylindrical body to the end of the body.

In operation, the manicuring device may be used to manipulate the cuticles of a person's nails by using the tapered end. In addition, the cylindrical shape of body allows the abrasive material to be applied to the inner surface of the nail to hone the inner surfaces of the nail by rotating the device.

The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, for modification will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made upon departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, this invention is not intended to be limited by the specific exemplifications presented herein above. Rather, what is intended to be covered is within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

I claim:
 1. A fingernail manicure file device, comprising: a tapered handle affixed to a cylindrical head having an abrasive surface; said tapered handle including a distal end defining an angled wedge having side edges forming a point; and said cylindrical head having a distal end having a flat angled surface extending from a front end edge to a selected position along a body defining a parabolic shaped front end edge and curved side edges forming an abrasive elliptical plane surface. 